The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-10-08
AZ r. " TECHNICS.

sore, ana can carry lnlS lrOm one per-
son or place to another. This may not
be credited, but it has been proved by
direct experiment. to be not only posi-
Bile, but an actual fact. The common
house fly, by lighting on diseased
spot, either in an animal or man, and
thence passing to a healthy subject, has
been known to impart the infection to
the latter. Whether the poisonous
matter be an animal virus or germ of
disease, a bacillus, does not matter
and in this connection it is well to
speak of other common methods of pos
sible disease infection. A postage
stamp mayin various ways convey con-
tagion. One of the simplest and
most plausible is that in which post
age stamp, partially attached to let
ter to pay return postage, is sent by
person infected with some disease to
another person. The disease is trans
ferred, in the first place, tothe adhesive
stamp through the saliva, and in being
attached to the letter by the receiver
the poison may be transmitted to him
in turn through the saliva. eA Ne
Another cause may be the infection
to the stamp with disease germs. The
stamp, having been exposed in a room
where diseased person lies, may be-
come slightly moistened and thus retain
the germ. That this is true can be
proved very simply by a microscopical
examination. 1t is even possible that
an active and tangible poison, as arse
mic, may accidentally or Intentionally
be attached.
We often see person holding change
for moment in the mouth, probably
not knowing that investigation has
shown that disease germs can be carried
by money. If one: could see through
what hands the money has passed, they
would hesitate before using such third
hand. Silver money is as bad as paper
money but while many would hesitate
to hold dirty bank note in their
mouth, they think that a silver piece,
because bright, is apparently clean.
Cigars may convey contagion, eSpe-
cially syphilis. We have seen note in
which physician gave as an excuse
for not loaning light to a friend, that
he was afraid of contagion but if he
was so afraid he should have been con-
sistent and refused to smoke the cigar.
Cigar wrappers are in the cigar factories,
especially in Cuba, moistened with the
lips and tongue, and the girls who roll
the wrappers are by no means Of the
highest reputation. Disease can be
carried in this way. Tobacco, contrary
to the common belief, does not destroy
disease germs, and smoking will not
confer immunity from contagion.
Any one who uses towel in common
with the public, or piece of soap, or
brush and comb, or any requisite of the
toilet, runs the risk of possible infec-
ton. The subject of antisepsis, simply
another word for cleanliness, has not
necessarily brought to light many new
facts, but has set people to think of
old ones. The germ theory of disease
is to most people vague one. There
is a general idea that disease is carried
by germs, and that the air is filled with
these, and it is wonder to most people
that every one is not so afflicted, the
laity conclude that the germ theory is
an absurdity and a contradiction
They do not consider the element of
fertile soil. The germ is the same as a
seed, and all organic bodies are repro
duced by seed. We must plant seed
in the soil suitable for it, and the sur
roundings-heat and moisture-must
be adapted to it if it is to grow. AS
we descend in the scale of organic life,
we find that some of the lower animals
can hardly be distinguished from plants,
and these are reproduced not by seed,
but by aprocess of division or budding.
A part of the animal is divided and
separated, and forms new animal.
Aswe descend in the scale, we find
that instead of seeds we have spores, as
in ferns but these serve the purpose
of seeds, and demand a fertile soil be-
fore they can grow. Of many million
spores, but one or two may serve their
purpose the rest die without giving
any result. As we descend still lower,
we find that fungi and moulds need not
onlya fertile soil, but peculiar soil,
and many of them will not grow except
in or on another organic body.
In medicine, common example is
the ergot of rye. Another is corn smut.
These, in addition to requiring lpecu-
liar soil, undergo an "alternation Of gen.
eration." For example, corn smut is
first reproduced on the barberry leaf as
rust, and this rust in turn produces
corn smut. The theory of disease
germs is founded on the knowledge of
the actions of the lower animals and
plants. The bacillus may be an animal
or if may be plant, poisonous in itself
or simply carrier of contagion. 1t
may even be result of disease, and
have nothing to do with its cause except
as foreign body. Still as we find it
present, and find it always present, we
are necessarily induced to believe that
it is an active agent, but in order to
reproduce itself, it must have fertile
soil. This it finds, as rule, in per-
son whose constitution is run down
from overwork, lack of rest, poor living,
or disease. 1t may be introduced into
the system, directly into the blood,
through an open wound, thus inducing
septicemia, state of poisoned blood,
or it may be introduced indirectly into
the blood through the alimentary sys-
tenn. In this case it must be inhaled or
eaten with food. In either case it is
absorbed, or perhaps actively works
itself through the mucous membrane
Once in the blood, tire bacillus grows,
as rule, by division, and multiplies to
an enormous extent. Disease may also
be carried by virus, which may in turn
consist of bacilli or of organic putrefac-
tive matter. The common example of
this is the virus of cow-pox or of a
snake, an actual poison.
Either of these factors may be pres
ent on piece of soap or money, or
soiled towel, or book that has been in
constant use, in fact, any article that
has been handled bya number of peo-
pie and we can perhaps realize how